Jerry McCrea/The Star-LedgerView of the accident scene where James Conner, 54-years-old, of Shady Lane, East Brunswick was removing snow from his property when a tree branch laden with snow fell from from a tree across the street, hitting him in the head.EAST BRUNSWICK -- A 54-year-old man was killed late Wednesday as he was clearing snow from his driveway when a tree branch fell and struck him in the head.

James Conner was using a snow blower in his driveway on Shady Lane shortly after 9:30 p.m. when he was struck on the top of the head by a limb from a large section of a tree, police Sgt. Paul Natalicchio said.

Police were called at 9:44 p.m. and officers arrived to find family members attempting CPR on the unconscious Conner.

Officers, township rescue squad members, and paramedics from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital took over efforts and used a defibrillator, but were unable to revive him, Natalicchio said.